Gladiator 2:Prepare to Be Amazed by the Jaw-Dropping ‘Gladiator 2’ Trailer:

The crowd roars, and the twin emperors of Rome crave the thrill of combat. Get ready to re-enter the coliseum, everyone, for another epic showdown.

After weeks of teaser images and sneak peeks, the first trailer for “Gladiator II” has been released this morning, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. I haven’t felt this excited for a movie about Rome since the original “Gladiator” trailer premiered nearly 25 years ago. (In fact, I recently bought the original film in 4K Blu-ray to rewatch before the sequel hits theaters).

The follow-up to Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix’s iconic historical drama is set years after the original, focusing on Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of the first film’s antagonist, Commodus (Phoenix).

In the original film, Lucius was a child, portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark. His mother sent him away to Africa to keep him out of Rome’s grasp, but in the sequel, he returns as a gladiator. Here, he encounters the formidable and cunning Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and General Marcus Acacius, who once served under General Maximus (Crowe).

Here’s the trailer:

This sequel appears to be just as epic and grand as the original film, featuring an even more star-studded cast. Paul Mescal, a young Irish actor, is the least known among the leads, but director Ridley Scott became a fan after seeing him in “Normal People.” Reportedly, their conversation lasted only half an hour before Scott decided to cast him. Mescal also starred in “Aftersun,” which has received rave reviews and recently landed on Netflix.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Pascal discussed the challenging battle scenes in the movie. “It’s brutal, man. I call him Brick Wall Paul,” he said about his co-star. “He got incredibly strong. I’d rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again. Going up against someone so fit, talented, and much younger… Besides Ridley being an absolute genius, Paul is a major reason I put my body through that experience.”